Original Giftwrap
Today's Snack: Naturally, since we'll be making giftwrap today, our
snack ought to be a WRAP SANDWICH! First, heat up one burrito-size
tortilla between two paper towels in the microwave for about 15 seconds on
medium power. Then put your favorite meat, cheese and lettuce in a pile on one
side of the tortilla. Maybe you'll want to add mayonnaise or mustard or other
ingredients. Then, fold in the two sides a little bit. Finally, roll it up.
That's a wrap! Now, eat!
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Have you priced ready-made giftwrap these days? The
paper, bows and bags may cost as much as the gift you're giving. It's out of
control!
But here's a way to fight back: get a group of kids
together, and have them make your own designer giftwrap. You will enjoy using it
twice as much: not only will it be pretty, but it will be CHEAP!!!
But how do you get the paper? Well,
you can use plain white wrapping paper from the grocery store, hardware store
or office supply store. It's usually cheaper than printed giftwrap.
You can use also decorate plain white tissue paper,
which is also cheaper than thicker, pre-decorated paper.
Or you can find freebies! You can call your local
daily or weekly newspaper or a printing company and ask for the end of a roll
of newsprint, if you'd like to make extra wide paper. When they change rolls,
there often is a length of paper left on a roll that they're only going to
throw away.
Similarly, an architect's or
engineer's office may give you a roll of their drawing paper or scanner paper
for that purpose, if you ask and say it's for kids. That might combine well
with a mini-field trip to their office, too.
Another alternative: paint over
paper grocery sacks, either intact or taken apart.
And you can buy solid-color gift bags at party
stores or stationery shops that are fairly inexpensive, and go to work adding
your special touches to make them gorgeous and distinctive.
Use tempera paint, markers, crayons
or colored pencils. Set out glue and bits of ribbon, fabric, sequins, buttons,
feathers, glitter, and whatever else trips your trigger.
An interesting 3-D look is achieved with combined
media, such as paint and glitter, with glued-on serendipity, such as little
game pieces and toy parts from your "lost drawer," painted dry pasta, and so
forth.
Here are three ideas that work great at
Christmastime and for birthdays year-round:
Colored
Rings Paper
Pour a pretty color of acrylic paint onto a plastic
plate. Dip the end of a paper towel tube in the paint. Then "stamp" the circle
onto plain wrapping paper. You can dip the other end of the tube onto another
plate with another color, to make a pattern or just for interest. Overlap the
circles so that they "link." Let dry.
Tie-Dyed
Tissue Paper
Fold tissue paper into squares, rectangles and
triangles. In a teacup, mix one-fourth cup water and 10 drops of food coloring.
Dip the corners of the folded tissue paper into the colored water. Open flat to
dry.
Pierced
paper
This looks beautiful on wrapping paper that is a
solid color, from white to red to light blue. First, lightly draw a design or
pattern on the paper, or trace a shape onto it that you want to follow. Next,
place the paper over a piece of carpet, or actually on a floor that is
carpeted. Now, carefully pierce holes with a toothpick, following the lines you
drew for your patterns or shapes. Leave a gap between the holes.
